LETTER: St. Francis Hospital must return to roots

On Aug. 12, the new chief executive officer of St. Francis Hospital in Poughkeepsie assumed his position.

As faithful pro-life Catholics, we address these concerns to him.

The medical director of Poughkeepsie Planned Parenthood is an abortionist who murders babies. He occupies space in the atrium of St. Francis. This is an ongoing affront and scandal to our Catholic faith.

Moreover, it is incomprehensible that healthcare workers in a supposedly Catholic institution would desire to affiliate with Service Employees International Union Local 1199. SEIU poured millions of dollars of forced union dues into the election coffers of vehemently pro-abortion, pro-infanticide and pro-gay "marriage" Barack Obama. In addition, the Obama administration is the very author of the contraceptive mandate which forces Catholic hospitals, such as St. Francis, to pay for contraception and sterilization. Those who knowingly voted for such an obscene alliance with these anti-Catholic union thugs are truly traitors to our holy religion.

It is to be fondly hoped that the new president of St. Francis will restore the hospital's Catholic identity. Only then can St, Francis be faithful to the lofty vision of the good Franciscan Sisters who founded it!